Calgary Flames fans should be really excited about these eight prospects

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As impressive as this Calgary Flames team has been this season, it’s the future of the organization that has fans truly excited.

Under GM Craig Conroy, the Flames have begun a retooling effort that has been successful in the early going.

Conroy and his management team have been able to acquire a plethora of draft picks through trades and appear to have found some gems in the draft. Several of their recent picks, along with some prospects who were already in the system, are having phenomenal 2024-25 seasons. Here’s a look at them.

Zayne Parekh

  • Drafted: 9th overall (2024)
  • Position: Defence
  • Team: Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 36 GP, 16 G, 35 A, 51 PTS

Zayne Parekh doesn’t need much of an introduction. The 18-year-old immediately became the organization’s top prospect after being selected ninth overall in last year’s draft and is having another phenomenal season with the Saginaw Spirit.

Despite being snubbed from Canada’s World Juniors roster, Parekh is one of the better blue-line prospects in the league. It’s only a matter of time before he becomes an impactful player at the NHL level.

Matvei Gridin

  • Drafted: 28th overall (2024)
  • Position: Wing
  • Team: Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 40 GP, 24 G, 27 A, 51 PTS

Matvei Gridin was the second of two first-round picks the Flames had at the 2024 draft. The 18-year-old was coming off a big year in the USHL before being selected and has continued to produce in his first QMJHL season.

Despite being a late first-round pick, Flames head coach Ryan Huska loved what he saw from Gridin in training camp, indicating he has a real shot at becoming an NHLer next season.

“You can see the skill set, and already as a young 18-year-old, he’s a man,” Huska said. “I almost envision him as a guy that’s going to go away, and he’s going to dominate in the [QMJHL], and he’s going to come back next year and be in a position to make our team. You have a sense about him. He’s got the ability to play the game.”

William Stromgren

  • Drafted: 45th overall (2021)
  • Position: Wing
  • Team: Calgary Wranglers (AHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 39 GP, 11 G, 20 A, 31 PTS

One prospect who has really started to make a name for himself as of late is William Stromgren. The 2021 second-round pick had a solid rookie season as a rookie in the AHL as a 20-year-old and has been even better in his second year.

Stromgren has both the size and skill that suggest he will become an NHL regular in the future. He’s currently playing first-line minutes for the Calgary Wranglers and could wind up seeing some time with the Flames before the 2024-25 season comes to a close.

Henry Mews

  • Drafted: 74th overall (2024)
  • Position: Defence
  • Team: Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 43 GP, 12 G, 46 A, 58 PTS

Many in Calgary are starting to declare Henry Mews as the steal of the 2024 draft. The 18-year-old — who was recently part of a trade that sent him from the Ottawa 67’s to the Sudbury Wolves — is currently leading all OHL defencemen in scoring with 58 points.

While offence has always been a big part of Mews’ game, concerns about his defensive play led to him sliding in the draft. In a recent exclusive interview with Daily Hive, he mentioned that he’s been putting in some major work to round out his game.

“I think my overall game has improved a lot,” Mews said. “I’ve been able to round out my defensive play. I think the offensive numbers are picking up in big part because of the improvements I’ve made on the defensive end. [My] teammates have obviously helped with the numbers in a big way as well.”

Aydar Suniev

  • Drafted: 80th overall (2023)
  • Position: Left wing
  • Team: University of Massachusetts Amherst (NCAA)
  • 2024-25 stats: 23 GP, 14 G, 13 A, 27 PTS

Another mid-round pick that appears to be a dandy by the Flames was their selection of Aydar Suniev in the third round of the 2023 draft. The pick in which the Flames took the 20-year-old was acquired alongside Yegor Sharangovich in a trade that saw Tyler Toffoli head to the New Jersey Devils.

Suniev, who turned 20 just over two months ago, is over a point-per-game in his sophomore season. His 27 points are the second most amongst his team, trailing only Nashville Predators prospect Cole O’Hara.

Jacob Battaglia

  • Drafted: 62nd overall (2024)
  • Position: Wing
  • Team: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 41 GP, 25 G, 32 A, 57 PTS

The Flames hoped Jacob Battaglia would build off his 65-point 2023-24 season with the Kingston Frontenacs after selecting him with the final pick of the second round. He’s done just that and then some.

Battaglia is just six goals and eight points shy of last season’s totals despite having played 26 fewer games. The future looks bright for the 18-year-old sniper.

Luke Misa

  • Drafted: 150th overall (2024)
  • Position: Centre
  • Team: Brampton Steelheads (OHL)
  • 2024-25 stats: 41 GP, 24 G, 33 A, 57 PTS

The Flames don’t have a lot of high-end centre prospects, which makes Luke Misa so intriguing. They were able to pick up the 19-year-old in the fifth round of the 2024 draft despite the fact he was coming off of an 81-point season.

Misa was expected to go earlier in the 2024 draft but fell due to concerns over his size. He’s currently listed at just 5-foot-10, 176 pounds. He still has room to grow, however, and we are learning more and more by the year that undersized players can make big impacts in the NHL. He’s someone Flames fans should keep an eye on moving forward.

Arseni Sergeev

  • Drafted: 205th overall (2021)
  • Position: Goaltender
  • Team: Pennsylvania State (NCAA)
  • 2024-25 stats: 15 GP, 2.25 GAA, .922 SV%

After playing his first two seasons of college hockey with the University of Connecticut, Arseni Sergeev opted for the transfer portal and decided to join Pennsylvania State in hopes of earning more playing time.

That decision has worked in Sergeev’s favour, as he’s appeared in 15 of Penn State’s 22 games this season. Though Dustin Wolf appears to be the Flames’ future between the pipes, Sergeev has emerged as a legitimate prospect.

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